Lagering Question

uabericm · 06-19-2009, 11:38 PM

My neighbor and I brewed a european pilsner about two weeks ago. He placed it in his fridge at 50 degrees. Just the other day, it occurred to him that he has forgotten to do the next step on the lager.

What should be his next step now? Rack into a secondary and lower the temp to 40?

jaja · 06-20-2009, 12:51 AM

I assume you mean rest it at a raise temp?

I asked the same thing this week and was told its not totally necessary escpecially if he pitched the yeast when the beer was down to fermentation temp.

I racked to a secondary as it had reached FG and its in the fridge very cold. Its been there a few days and I'll rack it to the keg today and lager it in the keg for a month or so. He could rack if its finished, leave it for a while and then bottle if its done doing its thing imo.

scinerd3000 · 06-20-2009, 12:55 AM

wait until its 80% to terminal gravity and then take it out to a warmer area for 2 days. Taste for diacetly (buttery flavor and a slickness in the mouth). After that then rack into a secondary carboy and drop the temp a few degrees per day until your at 35-45 degrees. The colder it is the longer it will have to sit but the smoother it ends up. Then "lager" it and when its done, bottle and drink. Cheers

**Malticulous** · 06-20-2009, 01:28 AM

You can just let it finish at 50 and then crash it to 32. There are many of different ways but once the yeast is done there no need to slowly drop the temp. There is a possibility of diacetyl with some yeast and if there is some present you may need to use a higher temp rest before it is to FG, or at the least not shock the yeast with a fast drop in temp.

menschmaschine · 06-20-2009, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conroe

You can just let it finish at 50 and then crash it to 32. There are many of different ways but once the yeast is done there no need to slowly drop the temp.

Experience among homebrewers varies on the subject of crashing to lagering temps or lowering temps slowly. I prefer to slowly lower the temp, primarily due to what Briggs, et al. states in Brewing Science and Practice:

Quote:

A sudden fall in temperature must be avoided or the shock may induce the yeast to excrete protease enzymes that could be detrimental to foam stability.

To me it's sort of a better-safe-than-sorry thing.

**Malticulous** · 06-20-2009, 08:26 PM

I'm going to do it the easy way until I find out (first hand) I did it wrong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Braukaiser

...beer has been almost completely fermented before the temperature is lowered to near freezing and no particular care needs to be taken to avoid shocking the yeast since no significant further yeast activity is required.

I tend to not put much trust in a sentence that uses "must" then "may" and "could." It sounds like he's not even certain of the cause. I get the impression Kia has done it with favorable results many times.